“Operation Coal”. Thousands of tons of fuel designated for the public were stolen in Andijan and Bukhara

In the Kurgantepa district of the Andijan region, authorities uncovered a case involving the pilfering of coal intended for delivery to the populace at subsidized rates. The Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the General Prosecutor's Office reported this discovery.

The preliminary investigation conducted by the Kurgontepa district department of the aforementioned agency took place at the "Coal Supply" LLC's coal warehouse in Kurgontepa. Within this facility, individuals in charge of the warehouse illicitly sold 2,155 tons of coal, which had been earmarked for preferential distribution among the population, to other parties using falsified documents. The proceeds from these sales were misappropriated for personal use.

Similarly, a comparable incident occurred in the Vobkent district of the Bukhara region. It was found that individuals responsible for the Vobkent coal warehouse of "Komir Taminot" LLC misappropriated 455.7 tons of coal through embezzlement.

Criminal cases have been initiated, and investigations are underway pursuant to Article 167 of the Criminal Code (pertaining to embezzlement or theft via fraudulent means) and Article 228 (regarding the preparation, forgery, sale, or use of documents, stamps, seals, or blanks).

It's important to highlight earlier instances of looting: coal valued at 362.3 million soums, 178.3 million soums in Buloqbashi district, 421.7 million soums in Jalakuduq district, 1007.9 tons in Izboskan district, and 873.2 tons in Pakhtaabad district were previously reported as stolen in the Andijan district of the Andijan region.

Additionally, 623.7 tons of coal were looted in the Uchkurgan district of the Namangan region, 1,364.3 kilograms valued at 413.8 million soums in the Buvaida district of the Fergana region, and 464.6 tons of coal were stolen in the Saykhunabad district of the Sirdarya region.